Blood Shoes
by HiddenYori
Summary: They are children broken beyond repair but chose to suffer in silence so no one else has to. Despite what Danzo might think they are not mindless soldiers, and they stage their revolution during the Suna-Sound invasion. Konoha nearly unravels in the aftermath, -this is NOT Kiri!-, but Tsunade does have to admit it is helpful to have strong soldier during the coming years.
1. Chapter 1

Their porcelain masks have the blood of both friends and foes smeared across them.

((All the blood, no matter who it's come out of, haunt their night terrors until days and nights bleed together.))

Their black hoods hide them from the village they protect, obscure them from the very memories of the family's they never get to see.

((During the darkest moment their cloaks are the only warmth they receive, and sometimes if they're delusional enough (from lack of sleep, food, or water) their cloaks almost feel like the hugs they don't receive.))

Their stories are difference, but they all eventually fade into dark corners of the mind no one speaks of. Eventually, the only thing left are code names, missions, and comrades for life.

((Most requites are clanless orphans that no one misses, a few come from the branch families of prominent ninja clans, and two (or three) come from powerful crime families.))

Their leader is Shimaru-sama who's bandages were a testament to his loyalty to the village they protect and the weakness of his fool hearted teammate possesed. ((Secretly, and only when they were sure it would never get back to him, the craziest members referred to him as Mira-chan or just 'The Old Mummy'.))

All members understood that the hierarchy of how 'The Foundation' leadership works, they don't answer to the Hokage because he is too weak. They only answer to Shimaru-sama's orders. ((Yet, Shimaru-sama is also too weak, so while the man think he's in charge there is another leader hidden away in the shadows.))

Ages ago, before any of the current members were around, someone had scratched 'The roots of a tree are not replaceable, they give the tree stability, nourishment, and strength to stand against the harshest of conditions' on a wall out of sight. ((This became a motto, a nido, and a mantra.))

Orochimaru is a traitor. ((Orochimaru is not a traitor. He is one of them and they stand with him if he calls for their help.))

They protect their village with their lives, they are Root. ((They are children broken beyond repair but chose to suffer in silence so no one else has to.))

"Mole, all of Konohagakure 's civilians and children populations will be evacuated within the next twenty minutes. Konohagakure 's counterattack will commence within the next thirty minutes. Mira-chan's orders were to stay uninvolved. What are your orders?"

Mole knows this is their chance, the only chance they will ever have (-because what are the chances someone else would be stupid enough to invade Konohagakure?), and if they don't act now it is only a matter of time before Danzo finds out about the counter-movement within his counter-movement (-Irony).

Hesitation will only lead to death, "Tell ever member to go above ground. Kill everything that moves without a leaf headband and make everyone see us from our shadows...Extra points for anyone who manages to kill Danzo with a rickashay kunai."

"Challenge accepted, Mole-sama."

.

.

.

"I want all C squads fighting that giant summons, the first summon I want taken down is the silver snake near safe house 10-C. D squad I want you to find out what that weird purple dome it. A squad you will be back up for D squad, and A squad will be in charge of taking down the dome if deemed necessary. B squad will keep eyes on 'The Mummy' and kill him if you have a shot-I don't want any hesitation when it comes to his execution. E squad and F squad take out as many enemies that you can find. I'll meet up with G squad at the rondevu point and give further orders than." Mole switches off their communicator, jumping through the trees of the south outskirts of the village with ease.

Being in the sun and fresh breeze burns the Foundation member's pail skin almost painfully, their skin hasn't seen the above worlds in nearly seven -maybe eight years and it isn't sure how to react. Yet it's nice to feel this burn because it means Mole can at least feel the sun again.

It's been a while since Mole's been aloud to feel anything.

If they were not in the middle of an invasion, Mole would even go as far as call it a nice day.

Than Mole sees a flicker, actually it's more like a white gleam, of a new headband through the treeline.

A boy with dark hair in a ponytail is standing, probably a Genin if his headband is still shiny, standing between at least seven Oto-nin. The sight brings an old order (from back when they still took orders -two years or maybe three ago) to the forefront of their mind.

' _ **It is your job to protect, protect those who don't know the shadows we run in. The youth in our village is sacred, they're our will to keep fight -our fire-, you are to protect this future generation with your life.'**_

 _He's our 'Will of Fire'._

Mole will not be meeting up with G squad but that's okay because their troops can handle themselves.

Mole needs to protect.

.

.

.

Asuma doesn't except to find his (favorite) student surrounded by at least six dead Oto-nin. All of which are torn apart with the brutality of a monster (or someone fighting for their life), bodies litter the ground in different states of gore and mutilation.

In the center of all the death kneels his student, leaning over a body with an almost frantic intent to help but not knowing anyway to help. A dead (barely breathing-Asuma never really had a talent to be a med-nin) shinobi with dull red hair held back in the messiest dreadlocks Asuma's seen lays in front of Shikamaru.

They clothes are almost drenched with blood and it make their wet armor a second skin, the armor itself is that of the Kohanna elite, the best of the best, also known and the Anbu Black-Ops. A porcelain mask of a Ox, maybe (Mole), and the dark chest armor designed to protect the wearers.

Anbu Black-Ops, and this is the reason he fights with his father, this kid is too young to be a recruit. What the Hell, Anbu isn't suppose to take in people this young -they looks late academy age (systematic malnutrition often makes people appear younger than they really are).

The kid was strong though, they were outnumbered by ninjas who were at least Chunin level and made sure to take every last one of them down. Given a few years they could have been as great-or broken beyond repair like Kakashi.

It's a waste of talent and life, that a kid no older than Shikamaru is laying in a pool of their own blood. Asuma checks for a pulse (and he really needs to take a refresher first aid course) and feels nothing, he assumes the worst and figures they're dead. So the man takes out a corpse scroll because their family at least deserves to know what they've done and a body to bury once the dust settles.

"Sensei," Shikamaru is shaking like a leaf, truly shaken for the first time. "I didn't even know, and than he-"

"It's not your fault." It's a hollow comfort but it's all he can give, maybe if they were closer he would hug his student -but they're not that close yet. Instead, the man prepares to seal the body and takes off the kid's mast.

The face behind the mask, or maybe it's just the eyes, shock the two males because the red (scarlet) eyes staring back at them are unresponsive but alive.

Asuma doesn't even try to stop the cusses from rolling off his tongue as he realizes his mistake, while there is no pulse (because he's incompetent), there is a slow beating of chakra under the child's skin.

.

.

.

"What is this place?" The small child asks, following the masked figure through the underbelly of the village without hesitation. Narrow scarlett eyes scan the hallways with an disconcerting intelligence. "Why am I here?"

"Don't ask questions, Danzo doesn't like it when we ask questions." The Hyena masked figure growls harshly but stops long enough to pull the smaller child into a room lined with bunk beds. "You are just a runt, you answer questions when they are asked. What's your name?"

"Oni, that's what everyone at the orphanage calls me, at least."

Flash, Hyena took a moment to snap a quick photo of Oni's face, hands, and one where they had them stand near a wall with height markings. Unceremoniously a heap was dump into the child's arms with a black clock, grey armour, a rations bar, and a mask.

"What is this mask of?"

"I said no questions...but it's a Mole, that's your identity from now on. Oni is dead, do you understand?"

"Yes, Hyena-san."

"Welcome to Root."

.

.

.

Mole's armour is ill fitting, making it hard for them to move their arms.

(Hyena-san says they'll probably grow into it…)

Their mask isn't to bad after another porcelain masked figure, Butterfly-san, ties it back with a rubber band so it doesn't slip. Though it's hard to breath behind the porcelain and the eye holes obstruct her vision.

(Butterfly-san says that they'll learn how to breath and see with the mask, it will get easier after a while.)

Their cape gets stepped on by some of the other members until Hawk-san cuts the cloth with a sharp kunai.

(Hawk-san says it will be hard enough to survive without tripping over their own cape.)

Mole's bunk mate, Cricket-san, helps braid Mole's hair so it doesn't get in their way during practice. They even show Mole a few of their rinkaichū after a especially bad training session.

(Hebe-san is strange, but nice enough when Danzo isn't looking, and often gives the members special medical creams to help with healing and sweet snacks.)

Sometimes if Mole is lonely and sad, Wolf-san will crawl into their bunk and hold them tight against their chest.

(Wolf-san smells like pumpkin, cinnamon, and outside.)

Root...is hard and demanding but sometimes it isn't so bad, even if Mole is only a grunt who is expected to following orders no matter what.


	2. Chapter 2

When Mole wakes up, they are laying on something that feels as soft as a cloud, they breath a content sigh-

-and then shoot up in the white bed, their eyes opening frantically in search for something -anything- familiar! The bright and harsh lights from above blind them, the beeping of a machine ring through their ears, and the only smell is of burning antiseptic. In simple terms ALL of their senses are in such a frantic overdrive that they become useless.

The (Nara?) boy is gone. Mole can not see him, they have failed him!

A mean voice suddenly fills the young commanders head: " **Your failures mean the death of a comrade. You are a worthless ninja, your only saving grace is your slightly higher than average intelligence. So, for every failure -for every death- you cause know that a ninja better than you in every way is dead. You are single handedly weakening the village's defenses by being an idiot."**

Shaken by the memory it takes them a minute to notice the four figures standing at the foot of their bed, gazes focused on them, but their faces obscured by the harsh light (Kami, someone shut off a light!) of the room.

"Just do us all a favor and just kill me now." They hiss, voice dry and cracked but resolve as sharper than a polished knife. "I have nothing else to live for other than to protect Konohagakure, and I will never let my comrades die for my mistake. I am their commander and I will always protect their lives.

The roots of a tree are not replaceable, they give the tree stability, nourishment, and strength to stand against the harshest of conditions."

There is an explosion of pain behind Mole's eyes before they fade into the darkness again.

-!-

Nara Yoshino is very careful to move the small child -a child (maybe) Shikamaru's age and fuck this is Kohana not Kiri- onto one of the mattress that line the large room (barb wire cage!), without waking them from his deep medical induced slumber.

Fifty-seven beds line the cell's floor, each bed holding a child who has been systematically starved, held against their will for years in dismal living conditions, and show astronomical level of spiritual manipulation which has likely caused permanent damage to their developing minds.

Each child have nasty seals inked onto their tongues, a seal that looks to be a bastardized version of Uzushiogakure 's lost sealing art (a sealing arts that the Hokage swore were lost in time, and that lie is only the beginning of a long string of lies uncovered lately) to restrict the information given by the sealed party.

Yet, which is often the case with teenagers, the Root members rebel and found (rather creative) ways (-one has drew a beautiful bird out a coded messages) to give information to spite the man who stole their childhood.

Also, there was information that wasn't hidden, like the missions members were assigned, Danzo's graduation test, and where he order the little graves of unseen children to be placed (it turns out his family's compound is more a graveyard than anything else).

They also find out about the rebellion bred within Danzo's secret Black Ops, a rebelling lead by the very child Yoshino holds in her shaking arms. A rebellion started after the 'Uchiha Massacre' out equal parts fear and anger.

Danzo didn't know what was coming until a rather ferocious member (wearing a Hawk mask) broke from his shadow ranks and tried to extract each and every stolen eye from his arm-with a blunt and rust Kunai. It takes six members, one of which has a well trained Bakugan, but they manage to take out six eyes before a single alarm is rang to single Danzo's distress.

The Hokage is killed while fighting Orochimaru, which leaves the Root members with no target for their anger. Slowly their fight burns out until it becomes a mechanical process.

Orochimaru, Yoshino soon find out from Shikaku while standing over their own child's hospital bed, was (is) a member of the Root organization. In the children's minds, Orochimaru isn't a traitor but like them abused by Danzo into performing the corrupt politicians bidding under distress.

If Orochimaru called for their help during (or after) the invasion, and especially after killing the Hokage (who they hate nearly as much as Danzo), Root wouldn't have hesitated to stand with him.

As it is, Root members went looking for their 'commander' as the invasion eased. Only to find Mole in the arms of a Sarutobi (and while he might not be the Hokage they hate, he's too closely related for anyone comfort) unconscious after protecting Shikamaru from bloodthirsty enemies.

The Hawk masked man, the same one who wielded a rusty Kunai against Danzo, tries to slit Asuma's throat (with a sharper Kunai).

Asuma can't even blame him, because why should he trust a brother he has never even known of!

(Asuma broke twelve chairs at a local bar that night, wondering why it wasn't HIM who was folded into Root instead of his little brother.)

Three hours later Yoshino, and other members of the Nara clan, are able to put names to fifty-four of the children (young adults). They find five Hyugas, three Uchihas, two Naras, an Akimichi, two Yamakas, four Inuzuka's, and an Aburame. The rest come from civilian homes, orphanages, and in a few cases civilian immigration centers.

The last three aren't as easy to find in records.

Hawk-sama, Sarutobi Aimaru, is the son of Sarutobi Hiruzen and a Nara women, he's the half brother of both Sarutobi Asuma and Nara Shikaku, and twenty-five years old. As far as records go there isn't one for him, they only have basic information that Danzo leaves behind in his files.

Butterfly-san was kidnapped during the Hyuga affair, from Kumogakure, by Danzo who was using the treaty as a smokescreen to steal a bloodline. As it is Butterfly-sama, also known as Yotsuki Kiyoko, is happy in the leaf village and wishes to stay near her comrades, if possible. So as of now, no one needs to explain to the Raikage why the 'nice' village kidnapped a child from their village during peace talks. (Also, as far as Yoshino is concerned, it's fair because they've tried the same thing multiple times.)

Mole-san, who at one point had the nickname Oni, just doesn't exist as far as anyone can find. Yoshino briefly wondered if Mole-kun could be the biological child of Danzo himself but the genetics don't back that theory up. As it is, the only person Oni is distantly genetically similar to was Namikaze Minato. Though, it seems the two of them only shared enough similarities to be considered fifth cousins.

"Nara-sama!" A delicate Hyuga women calls, breaking through the ranks of people sorting through documents. "Someone's claiming Namikaze Oni. The man is declaring himself as their brother."

"Who is he?"

-!-

Wolf-san pulls Mole close to his chest, securing his long arms around their back with a content breath. (Mole doesn't mind the nearly bone crushing strength that Wolf-san uses to hold them tight. Nor do they mind that sometimes Wolf-san cries wake them from their restless sleep. Mole just pretends they don't hear his please for help. Mole just craves the warmth that the larger operative gives.)

It's...nice to smell the pumpkin, cinnamon, and outside that clings to Wolf-san's hair.

"Can you tell me about the outside?" Mole asks quietly, during a cold night that neither of them are able to lull into fitful sleep. "I can't ...remember what it feels like to be outside anymore. Shimaru-sama says a weakling like myself doesn't need to know what the outside is like."

"Don't listen to what that old mummy says, Mole-chan." Wolf-san explains with a gentle voice. "You deserve to know what the outside is like. You deserve to be outside in the fresh air and sunshine. You deserve everything and anything you could ever wish for."

The scarlet eyed member could not stop the laugh that bubbles in their throat, "Mira-chan. That's what we should call him."

Butterfly-san snorts from their bunk near by, "Danzo: 'The Old Mummy'."

Slowly, the darkened room is filled with stifled laughter and whispers of 'Mira-shan' fill the dark.

-!-

"Wolf-san is amazing." Mole whispers quietly from the observation deck that overlooks the training area, moving their mask off their face to get a better look at the intense fight below (and because Danzo is gone dealing with 'idiot teammates. So, while it's a silly way to rebel against his orders it makes Mole feel stronger.). "I wonder how it is that he's become so good at Taijutsu?"

The young opporitive has fallen into pretty consistent daily routine of team training (with Hawk-san and Butterfly-san), watching their fellow members during individual training time (usually while Dazo drills them with random questions that don't make sense), and finally their own individual training time (usually with Wolf-san as an their instructor).

Butterfly-san shrugs her shoulders thoughtlessly, chewing on one of the candies that Hebe-san had smuggled them during his last visit. "I head that he has a rival -outside- who is always pushing him with crazy challenges and into all out Taijutsu battles. They say that his rival is a Taijutsu master who is second to none. Though, he does seem a little...eccentric."

A snort comes from the pairs right, "That's putting it kindly. His rival is a grade A weirdo, you should see how he dresses, Mole-kun."

"His clothes," The smaller child asks Hawk-san. "What's so weird about his clothes?"

"Honest to Kami, the guy can't have any friends in this village, because no true friend would let him walk around in such ridiculous clothes."

"So true friends tell each other the truth?...Should we tell Wolf-san his hair looks weird?"

"We pick our fights, Mole-kun. Besides...I think his hair is naturally like that and it would be rude to point out a flaw he can't fix." Butterfly explains to the younger child softly.

"Okay."

"Hawk-san, your pony tale looks like a pineapple, it's okay to tell you, because you can fix it."

-!-

"You stupid-stupid-stupid girl!" Mole bites back a stuttered sob as hard metal meets the side of their head. "It's your fault that they're all dead."

"No-I d-didn't mean for them to die. You didn't tell m-me and I couldn't have know that enemy ninjas were waiting at one of our own checkpoint." Mole cries out, a bone chilling numbness traveling through their body. "How could I-it's not fair!"

"Life isn't fear." Danzo growls out, taking another swing at the young child's head with his metal handles cane. "Your failures mean the death of a comrade.You are a worthless ninja, your only saving grace is your slightly higher than average intelligence. So, for every failure -for every death- you cause know that a ninja better than you in every way is dead. You are singlehandedly weakening the village's defenses."

"I'm sorry."

"Why don't you apologize to operative Wolf? Is it because your stupid decision just killed him?"

"I'm so sorry."

Danzo clicks his tongue in distaste at the sobbing figure at his feet, with no hesitation the man brings his cane against the child's head with enough force to knock them out (or kill them).There is an explosion of pain behind Mole's eyes before they fade into the darkness again.


End file.
